An Android's Tale
by Ilvinaeda
Summary: Dedicated to the fallen and forgotten Hunters of Ragol. A story about an android's adventure, and her experiences along the path.
1. Foreword

Note: This is my disclaimer. I do not own Phantasy Star Online, or any of its derivative terms. Such are the property of Sonic Team and Sega. Any terms which are not directly taken from the game or story are probably mine, however, as I tried to add a few of my own elements to the story. Those terms and such, I hope you find interesting, and I hope they add to the story in some ways…anyway, I'm rambling. Gomen ne...

-

Enough of me, time for the fic. I accept all feedback, even if it's negative…so please review...

The inspiration for this piece, along with its ending, comes from a story written by Kalus, a talentedauthor. The piece is called "WhoI Am," and it is perhaps the darkest EVA fic I've ever read. Many thanks to you, Kalus!

-

An Android's Tale: Foreword and Introduction

-

For many nights now, over the past several months, there has been one major thought plaguing my mind, as I skimmed along the many stories about the Hunter's Guild, trying to find something…well, different…

Let me explain.

Unlike the many heroes and legends of the PSO world and community, I was always certain, as a writer and as a fan, that there must have been some others we hadn't heard of…you know, about the stories of the more "human" characters, and I'm not talking about the ones we are all so familiar with. I mean real people…real lives, real pain, and real experiences…

And then, one night, it hit me. I wanted to try something a bit off-key...something in which someone actually...dies...

This is the end result of about a week's work.

I wrote it at first just so it'd be different...but...

In a way, we shouldn't deny the actual possibility that in PSO, there probably have been more than a few who simply didn't make it to the end, to see Dark Falz and Red Ring Rico...

There had to have been some, probably more than we'll ever know, that fell before that time, whether in the grasses of the Forest, amongst a horde of Boomas...or in the hot, sulpherous Caves...dying to the Sharks, the poisonous Lilies...even the monstrous Pan Arms had to have taken more than a few lives...

This is a story about such a group. Dedicated to all those Hunters out there who fell...who lie forgotten in unmarked graves scattered across the wildlands of Ragol...may your souls rest in peace.


	2. I: Ponderings

I: Ponderings

-

Why was I created an Android?

I repeated this question to myself for many a day now, and for many reasons...

But there were two main reasons for my continued deliberation, and neither was too positive.

I firstly wanted to know what it was that allowed non-mechanical beings, like the Humans and Newmans, for example, to use the gift of "magic." It had always irked me, in the back of my central processor, or the androidal equivalent of a mind, that although we were granted enormous strength as robots, as well as a massive potential for memory and learning, that we could never use this wonderful creation...this "magic..."

And I had always loved to see it so.

From the very start, the very first Foie spell I had watched a little Newman girl throw, I was entranced. I wanted to know what it was, and then, as she threw them more and more, in a smiling dance of sorts, I realized that she was completely enjoying every moment of this newfound freedom.

I would also watch my friends...yes, my human and newman friends, as they too would dance, throwing massive orbs of fire, or creating the very jolt of lightning from nothingness...and as I would hold my position, shooting my rifle from the sidelines, I would watch them fight the monsters from positions slightly further up than mine, and almost gleefully throwing about their mystical powers, repelling every one of the enemies...

And over time, I wanted to also know that joy, to play with the dimensional realities, wondering if there were ever a way for me to just "try" that magnificent phenomena for myself...

And sadly, as I slowly came to realize that I would NEVER get to know that feeling, it made me rather cynical, and mostly, unfriendly to those who could relish that joy, the thing which I wanted so and could never touch, for all the eternity I knew.

But it was perhaps the other reason which really made me question why, the why's of being an Android...

And that one thing was "emotion" namely, a tender affection called "Love."

I guess you could say that emotion wasn't exactly out of an Android's reach, with the new "Sentimentality Chips" being sold on the market...

However, realizing that these things, at least to others, were considered "far from reality" I never thought to bring it up to those I cared about most...my group of friends...

But especially to him.

The leader of our group, the charismatic HUmar...the one who would run to the front with the other Androids, and just dance among both friend and foe, throwing mystical magics about the battlefield while aiding his allies at close range with a wonderful spell called "Resta..."

It made me want to be human, or even Newman, so that I could join them...

To be one with those I cared about...

And to be able to feel emotion freely, to be with someone, sharing the joy and bliss of an emotion I only knew vaguely as "love..."

It would lead me on the trip of a lifetime...and ultimately, to my own demise...

-


	3. II: First Encounter

II: First Encounter

-

It had all started so well...

It was a normal mission, by all standards; we were asked to go down to an uncharted part of Ragol, and place a transporter beacon once we made it safely to the surface.

We made it safely to the surface...no problems upon landing...in fact, we had landed near the waters' edge, on a tiny beach near a forest...

We spotted several loose creatures, namely a few Boomas who had strayed a bit from the forest's edge, and took them out with no problem...

And then, as our technicians began to set up the transporter, everything went wrong.

-

-Flashback-

-

"Yo, what's wrong with the power on this thing" the short, pudgy technician yelled, kicking the frame of the transporter unit as he shook his head. "It'll take me a few hours to get this stupid thing going..."

"Let's not make it worse by kicking it then, Alfred" the other technician, a blue-haired woman, chided as she began to rewire the power circuits.

"For friggin' sakes...these stupid things always piss me off." Alfred huffed as he sat on the sand. "They can never make them right, can they? Always something wrong..."

Meanwhile, we, the five Hunters, rested as the technicians began to do their work...

-

-Interrupt Flashback-

-

Oh, my apologies. Let me formally introduce you to our group.

Our leader (and yes, the target of my affections, however immaterial), was a HUmar we knew only as Brand. He didn't exactly say much, but he was the oldest, and probably wisest, of all of us, and we had no problems listening to his directions and advice. A wonderful musician as well, he would help to settle us all when we had to camp at night, playing somber melodies with his recorder, and he always had this way about being honest without hurting anyone's feelings. It was no surprise to me why he was felt to be the most qualified of us to lead...

Then there was Diane, the RAmarl, who was basically our support girl, and a very accurate markswoman. She always had this cheery disposition, but as we got to know her, we found it to be too superficial, almost shallow, and from many deliberations and gatherings, I found that it was because she too had lost someone she cared about while employed as a part of a Hunter group in a past mission. Her cheer was simply a way of drowning out the sorrow, and none of us could blame her for it. She always had something nice to say about everything and everyone, though...and she was funny, great at telling jokes. There was no one that couldn't get along with her.

Ordron was our FOmar, and although a pessimist, he was usually quiet, and so his lack of cheer rarely bothered anyone. He was probably our most destructive asset, and because of him, we rarely had problems with large-scale fighting. He was also one who seemed most cheery while blowing something to pieces with his Foie and Rafoie spells...gave me the creeps at times, as he was often a bit of what we'd call a "loose cannon" and was frequently close to nailing one of his allies during one of his "frenzies."

Kyrin, our frontline HUcaseal, was a new model bought by Brand recently. She was a state-of-the-art piece of work, with full battle calculators and targeting system, hydraulic power-boosters, emotio-system, and even a set of jumpjets, although after a preliminary trial, Brand pretty much told her never to use them. Her Durasteel armor was for superior to mine, and made her light, yet very thick when fighting at the front. I especially envied her beautiful blue sheen and her trimmer, lithe figure. She almost looked human, if not for her glowing green eyes. She was scary like that, but at times, she'd let them glow dimmer, and that usually meant she was in a more relaxed state, using her newer emotio-system features, and she smiled at times, which made me even more envious.

And as for me, the older RAcaseal, I was probably the second oldest in the group, since I couldn't exactly say how old Brand was. I was one of the state-of-the-art models too...when Androids were first introduced to the Hunter society...which made that almost twenty years ago. Now, I was what many would consider an old rust-bucket, barely able to withstand the shock of newer rifles, which had enormous recoil, and was far more inaccurate than the many new ones coming out these days. I guess someone really cared about me...I was given the newest Sentimentality Chip my system could handle, and then, one day, I kind of "awoke" by myself, in a street alley, probably discarded for being "too old." I managed to scavenge a charger from the pile then, and made my way to the nearest inn, where I snuck in and plugged in for a while. Over time, I managed to scrape a living from the discarded items on the forest floor, as well as find a Mag that an older Hunter had left behind, unwanted. We immediately bonded, both discarded for whatever reason, and we since joined this Hunter group, after we ran into Brand about two years ago.

So there, a brief history of us, before I continue...

-

-Back to Flashback-

-

"So what now" Ordron droned. "We just sit here..."

"Yeah, if you want to think of it that way." Brand threw him a drink from his backpack. "We're just hired escorts...if you know what I mean. Not exactly an action job."

"Besides" Diane added"we can spend a little time relaxing for once, just sitting on the beach, enjoying it..." She took a few steps away from the group and sat on the warm, yellow sand, stretching her legs out. "I just love this weather..."

"Yeah, whatever" Ordron said as he stretched out by one of the boxes they had brought down with them. "I'll just be snoozing, so just wake me when we're going to go."

"Alright" Diane responded, rather cheerfully. "We'll wake you if anything happens."

Kyrin and I were sitting on some boxes nearby, charging ourselves using the second power unit they brought, which they said wasn't strong enough for the teleporter...something about too much distance to teleport...

And then, I saw something fly from the trees.

BWOOof...

"RRraarrnnn..."

We all turned to the source of the sound.

Hildebears...

Lots of them.

I quickly unplugged Kyrin and myself, and drew out my trusty JUSTY-23ST, as we rushed to stop the stampede.

"What the..." Ordron said groggily, waking from his much-shortened nap.

TSsch...

TSsch, TSsch...

TSsch...

"Get up, Ordron" she shouted, shooting her rifle as she made her way toward the crowd. "Hildebears, coming from the forest"

I joined the firefight, as Brand and Kyrin rushed to meet the bears at melee range.

TSSchw, TSSchw, TSSchw...

TSsch, TSsch, TSsch...

Diane, who had began shooting before I had even unplugged, finished downing her third hildebear, whereas my shots, somewhat less accurate than hers, were at least a bit more powerful, and with two shots I managed to stop one of the Hildebears dead in its tracks.

Brand had already reached the front, and was swinging his modified Calibur with practiced ease, almost rending a Hildebear in half as he crushed through their ranks. Kyrin, wielding a beautiful Gungnir, was having much the same effect, as the two put up a wall of flashing Photon blades between the workers and the bears. Ordron, once up, slung Foie after Foie at the exposed flanks, hitting Hildebears one after another, careful not to use his Rafoie technique since they were too close to allies.

"Hildebear" Diane suddenly shouted, shooting past me, at my exposed left flank. "Five of them, at your ten"

I turned to see what she was referring to. Five raging Hildebears were tearing toward me, with blinding speed. I managed to hold back two of them with a loosely-aimed barrage of heavy shots, but it didn't stop them, and the lead one wound up, nailed me square, and sent me tumbling backwards.

As I struggled to get up, I tried to re-orient myself on what was happening. The three survivors who had gone after me were tearing up a few boxes I was standing in front of, and another four or so began following the example of the first few, running a flank to the now-exposed left.

"Your left, Diane" I voiced, shooting my rifle from my downed position. As a lucky shot sent the lead bear tumbling, I began to shoot loosely at the others, who slowed as their leader dropped. They quickly recovered, though, and seeing my shots first, they came toward me, charging hard.

It was then I realized something was wrong with my leg. A few loose cables usually didn't bother me too much, as all Androids were always at least double-wired...

It didn't matter much what went wrong, though. My left leg was dead.

Making me immobile.

Oh, hell... I cursed inwardly as I shot from my helpless position.

TSSchw...

whst-TSSchw...

whst-TSSchw...

I felt my hopes die away as I missed two of my shots. Even as I saw Diane's VISK take down one, there were too many...

I was as good as dead...

And as the Hildebear neared me, I braced myself...waiting for the hit to come...

Only to see it tumble forward as a large explosion behind it ignited, throwing it facefirst into the ground.

Rafoie...a damn close one too...

"Thanks, Ordron" I shouted, as I continued to shoot.

Fortunately, Brand and Kyrin were holding much better than we were at the moment. The Hildebears' front, all the time roaring angrily, swung madly at the two hunters, and with almost blinding agility, Kyrin jumped, danced, and dodged every attack, almost like a predator toying with its prey. Brand, although not nearly as agile, put up quite a force with his wide, lethal swathes, and after a Hildebear lost its hand to the Calibur's photon energy, they got the idea.

In the back, Diane and I covered each other from our positions, hers occasionally shifting, and between us, we downed the remaining six Hildebears rampaging through our stuff. Ordron lent an occasional hand, throwing a few Foie spells at the nearer ones, but he primarily stuck to helping the front line.

As we joined the front from long range, sniping at the ones who were exposed, we finally managed to drive the attack back, and in defeat, the last dozen or so retreated in panicked flight.

The leader of the bears, however, wasn't very happy. He took a last ditch shot and launched a fireball at Brand. Brand threw himself to the sand as it flew directly over his head, its angry orange mass missing him by inches...

And it flew past Brand...

...straight into the transporter unit, which incidentally burst into flames.

"Aww, crap" Alfred shouted after the last Hildebear retreated into the treeline. "We're in trouble now..." he said as he slowly crawled from the box he had been hiding in.

"It would seem so" his blue-haired companion noted, as she began to put out the flames with a small extinguisher. Ordron helped, casting a Barta or two on the surrounding boxes, cooling the surrounding areas so the fire wouldn't spread. Diane and Brand used sand and some sea water to douse the burning fragments of the wrecked transporter, as Kyrin helped me over to where the others were.

After assessing the damage, however, it was quite clear that the unit was unusable...

And we, for all practical purposes, were stranded.

-

- End Flashback-

-

- Flashback 2: The Next Morning...-

-

"Hey, morning" Brand greeted her as he unplugged Kyrin. "How's the leg"

"I took it apart last night...I think I can get it working soon..." I replied, tilting my head to show my gratitude for his sympathy. I guess you could say I didn't have the "guts" to tell him that it was going to be broken for a while...and as I inspected the hydraulic pumps which allowed me my free motion, I felt my hope sink again. It was as good as gone...unless someone had some extra hydraulic line and a good set of replacements...

"That's good to hear" he replied, offering a warm smile to show his relief. He nodded over to the small machine beside me, which looked like one of the old "cellphones" that our civilization supposedly had many years back. "Any luck with the commo unit"

"Sorry" I replied downwardly. "I can't reach anyone up there. It might've shorted when I fell in the water..."

"Ah, well, figures" he said, grinning strangely and scratching his head. "Of all things...I guess we never figured something silly like this was going to happen..."

"Yeah, of all things..." I replied, showing my awkward android smile. "Stranded because our transporter shorted and our comms unit is broken..."

"Well, no use in whining over it" Diane added cheerfully. "Don't we still have the ship we landed in"

"I checked last night." Brand shook his head. "Since they came from that direction" he noted"they hit the ship before they got to us, and they broke the ship up pretty good..."

"So now what" Ordron broke in, disgusted at the lack of action. "We're not stuck here, right? Let's just find another transporter..." He gave us one of those 'uh, duh' looks as he began shaking his head.

"I wish it was that easy, Ordron..." I let the sentence die off. I waited for him to cool down, before continuing"There wouldn't be any other transporter on this island." I attempted to explain, taking out a small VR-map. "We were asked to place a transporter here because they didn't have one here, so"

"So that means we're stuck here" Ordron said in disbelief. "Just great..." he said, exasperated, rolling his eyes as he walked over to where Alfred and his blue-haired companion, Sheri, were sitting in the sand, scavenging for anything usable among the broken and ruined components scattered over the beach.

"Useless piece of..." Alfred yelled as he threw a burnt circuit board at an empty box, upon which it broke into several pieces.

"Ah..." Sheri began, but before she could continue, he had thrown another, this one landing in the sea water.

"Why don't they have the BRAINS to send us some spare crap when we NEED IT"

"Please calm down, Alfred...it's not anyone's fault, really. We were just unprepared" she tried to reason with him, getting up to pick up the damaged component he threw into the shallow water. She picked it up and began wiping it off. "This might still work. Let me clean it up a bit."

"Feh, great time to tell me, huh, Sheri"

"I didn't see it before you threw it...can't help that" she sighed, giving one of her "he's hopeless" looks to us as we approached the scavenging duo.

"Frig..." he said disgustedly, before resuming his search through the mess of scattered spare components.

As our group returned to the area where the three were, we each silently contemplated what we were going to do, since we were rather stranded now, on this island somewhere on the vast planet of Ragol...

-

-End Flashback-

-


	4. III: Living in the Wilds

III: Living in the Wilds

-

By now, it had been more than a week since we landed.

We, as individuals and as a group, were all pretty trippy, and feeling grouchy, as we tried to make ourselves at home in our new "home" by the edge of the forest...

Kyrin and I had created a crude shelter by some palm trees, using scavenged pieces and panels of the now-broken craft we landed in, and some palm branches, for shade, but it also served as a roof to save us Androids from the frequent rainstorms. (Well, to be honest, Kyrin did the majority of the building...I sat inside did the interior work, rewiring and setting up the one surviving generator we had, as well as get a little fire going at the center of our little camp ring. I also set up the oil cans and stuff we Androids frequently used, and would need, to keep ourselves working amidst the grit of the sand and the mud of the forest floor.)

Following Kyrin's idea, Brand and Ordron set up a small lean-to by a nearby tree, with Kyrin's help as they moved a nice, large panel of the ship (which by a miracle was rather intact) and set it against two trees. They also brought over a few of the boxes, and had set up a pretty comfortable shelter for themselves.

Alfred, who continued to complain, finally got off his lazy butt and made himself a decent shelter, which looked a lot like a WWII foxhole...but it was pretty neat regardless. He had picked up several large leafy branches from the surrounding area and made himself a decent cover, and pretty much just sat there once he finished.

Not a group player, I noted to myself. I'm just glad I didn't have to deal too frequently with him.

As for Diane and Sheri, they had found a nice trio of trees, and using a small canvas, they made themselves a decent tent, with a few extra "drapes" for privacy, as well as extra cover from the rain that continued to plague us.

Inside our shelter, I was still having problems with my shorted leg, and although I managed to get the main joint fixed, at my hip, it was pretty much the same as it was a week ago, dead as a rod of carbonized steel.

The price for weakness, I chastised myself. Should've spent more time practicing in the forest, rather than at the ranges up in Pioneer 2...a bit too late for that, I reminded myself.

With time, and a few scraps from a broken crate, I had eventually jury-rigged the leg to hold stiff, and using a sort of, well"cane" I managed to do a little bit of walking. At least I wouldn't be useless anymore...

"...haha, who am I trying to fool..." I muttered, softly enough so that no one else could hear. I grabbed the little commo unit I had been carrying when I hit the water, and I took it apart again. Maybe one of these days, I'll get it working again, I told myself, as I glanced around at the others.

Brand had scouted the area around our landing site earlier this morning, and thankfully, since the Hildebears retreated, there were few things left to cause more problems. He seemed neutral, as usual, but I bet something was grating on his mind...I watched as he moved over to where Diane was sitting, brooding to herself.

"You alright, Diane" he said to her, concern in his voice.

"Yeah..." she replied, as her mind drifted.

"Hey, don't hold it in...if you need to say something, tell us okay" Brand sat beside her.

"...I'm scared..." she whispered, barely loud enough for me to hear with my sensors.

Diane seemed to be coming more and more withdrawn, and she, although usually talkative, was rarely talking at all now. I wondered if she was remembering something from her past...maybe she'd been stranded before, as well...it was possible. Brand put a friendly arm around her shoulder, and she took his hand, though her face didn't change much. Oh well, I figured, best leave them be. None of my business. I continued to scan about.

I guess you could call it naivete, but for once, Kyrin seemed to be in a rather good mood, considering she normally didn't do anything outside her ordered programming...she was now constantly going about, fixing our shelters, adding wood bits to the fire, realigning the light beams on her Blizzard Gungnir...it was almost fascinating watching her, as she seemed to hop from one thing to another. She was probably the most cheery of us, as she completed task after task. (I guess you could say she was learning the meaning of the word"bored.")

Ordron was for the most part, silent. He preferred not to talk to anyone, and to live his miserable existence right where he was. Oh well, I figured...whatever suits him...I just watched as he sat in the middle of the lean-to they made, reading some sort of book. At least he's not disturbing anyone.

Sheri and Alfred, our two technicians, finally settled a bit. For the past few days, they couldn't stay out of each others' faces...at least today, they weren't fighting. I felt a pang of relief at that. I worried a bit for them...they seemed to be at odds, purposely avoiding each other as much as possible. I hoped they'd get along in the days to come...living with someone for a day could be an experience...but living with someone for what could be a lifetime...yeesh. I shuddered at the thought. I hope whoever I'd have to live with didn't feel that way about me...

I turned back to my disassembled commo. What a mess, I told myself, as I tried re-cleaning each of the 24 components that comprised this rather simplistic device. "I hope things get better" I said, to no one in particular, as I continued to work.

-

Sometime later, after I had finished reassembling the still-broken commo unit, I began to check my Photon ammunition, seeing what I had left. I opened up the squarish can I normally threw my extra rounds in, and grabbed out my three magazines. I dumped all of the little Photon orbs out into a little tray I made by bending a plate from the broken ship, and began counting.

One, two, three, four, five...

Five, ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five...

About five minutes later...

One-hundred ninety, one-hundred ninety-five...

It took me about ten minutes to count them all: 267 rounds of regular, with another 89 heavy shots (slightly heavier Photon rounds which could be charged via the rifle's extra "boost" function).

"How are you doing for ammo" Diane asked suddenly, taking a seat in the sand by me.

I showed her the numbers I just wrote down with my small pencil. She nodded, and smiled. "That's not bad." She then took out a small round tin, holding some of her ammo, and placed it in my hands. "Take these too. I had a few extra tins...you need this one more than I do." She smiled, before drawing out her VISK. "Mind if I sit here with you for a bit"

"Not at all" I replied, before putting the ammo, including the new tin I received, back into the small compartment in my right leg. I drew out my JUSTY, as well, and both of us began to disassemble the rifles, cleaning them of the sand and dust that was ever-abundant along this part of the island.

"So what do you think" Diane asked, after disassembling the main components of her VISK. "You think we'll make it out of here" She slowly began to rub down the top part of its casing, trying to restore some luster to its dull blue polish.

"Hard to say..." I responded, after a second or so. "I mean, we probably won't see another transporter, like Ordron thought earlier, but if we can get that commo unit working..."

"I hope so..." she said softly. "I don't want to spend the rest of my life here..."

"I don't think any of us do" I reassured her. "Just gotta take it day by day..."

"Yeah..." She smiled, as we both continued to clean our rifles.

"OH MY GOD! ALFRED! GET THE HELL OUT" Sheri began screaming as we turned to the sound of the scream, in time to see a laughing Alfred running from the tent, followed closely by Sheri, wrapped in only a loose sheet. "You peeping tom" she continued, throwing a nice-sized rock at him as he fled down the beach.

"Oh boy..." Diane sighed, shaking her head. "Will that man ever learn"

I simply shook my head as we watched Alfred run for his life. Sheri finally stopped a distance from the tent, and, shaking the sand from her garment and stiffly regaining her composure, she stormed angrily back to her tent, stopping as she reached the two of us.

"When he comes back, Diane, can you shoot that shameless bastard for me" she said, rather icily, as she continued to stare at the figure of Alfred, glaring for a while, before adding an "Ugh" and returning to her tent to finish dressing up.

Diane waited until she left to continue their conversation.

"You know..." Diane added softly, so I could just barely hear"she doesn't exactly hate him as much as she says."

"Hmm" I asked.

"I mean" she continued"that she acts that way so he doesn't get any ideas, but..."

"She doesn't really hate him then" I asked, unsure of her implication.

"I guess." She looked at the girls' tent, and then back at me. "She doesn't even really hate it when he peeps...but god, he does it way too often..." I think she stopped there, realizing she was saying too much. "I'm sorry..." she started, but I stopped her.

"It's alright." I smiled at her, as she began to turn a bit red. "I didn't understand...it helps me to, you know." I smiled my awkward smile as I nodded and started swabbing the barrel.

"At least she has an admirer..." she suddenly said, and then almost out of reflex, added"I didn't mean it like that...umm..." as her face flushed red.

We both had a nice laugh at that, and resumed our cleaning. I thought about her words for a long time, far after we had finished, and Diane had left to bathe.

-

"At least he has an admirer..."

It reminded me of my thoughts, some days ago...back on the Pioneer, when I thought about what it'd be like to be "loved..."

"Beep-beep." My Mag hovered over to my shoulder, and started tapping me.

"I know, you're hungry..." I reached over and pulled a small box of Dimate pills from the crate I threw my extra stuff in. "Here you go...sorry I can't feed you more." I slowly placed a pill on its little mechanical mouth, and watched it crunch the pill, taking in the zinc vitamins and such, which it would later chemically reform into bits and pieces of solid zinc, to use for its plating. I fed it another, and gently rubbed its shell as I put the box back into the storage crate.

"Beeep..." It tapped me again, spinning happily...and I just patted it, smiling. I think it understood I didn't have much food for it...or at least I hoped it did. It tapped me again, and hovered back to its little slot by the charger, which it rested on, almost like a little critter...I sighed as I watched it shut down for a bit. "I guess I love my Mag too..." I reflected, before I turned back out to the empty night, trying to remember where I was in conversation...and finding I couldn't remember...

"Oh well" I told myself"emotions sure are strange things..." Quickly dismissing it as some sort of random thought, I plugged myself into the charger.

Time to rest.


	5. IV: A Twist in Fate

IV: A Twist of Fate

-

"Hey, you two, get ready." Brand whispered as he pressed my manual override switch on.

"What's going on" I quietly asked. It was still pitch-dark...midnight maybe?

"Something dangerous is nearby" Brand pushed Kyrin's switch, and she flashed on, droning out"user manu"

"Shh" he whispered to her. "Go wake up Diane and the others..."

"Immediately" she droned, this time much more quietly, as she set out from our shelter.

"Any idea what it could be" I asked.

"Not sure..." he whispered back. I think we're surrounded by Boomas..." he quickly added, before handing me my "cane" and helping me up. "Let's get outside."

Once up, I began looking around with my regular life-scan sensors. "I don't see anything unusual..."

"I still feel something's not right" he warned me, as he drew out his Calibur. "Try your LV2 IR sensors."

I flipped them on, continuing to pick up no heat signatures, no signs of life. "There's still nothing..."

"...can't take twenty steps from our camp without hearing a growl in the distance..."

"It could be farther off" I suggested.

"What's going on..." Diane mumbled as she staggered toward us, still looking half-asleep. "Something not right..."

"I think there's something nearing our camp" he stated. He then he suddenly turned, to the south. "Turn on your sensors again..."

"They're still on" I replied. "I can't...wait..." I stopped, as I watched something red draw among the trees. "There's something now...one, maybe two..."

"Are they moving to the inland or seaward"

"Seaward...why"

"Crap..." he muttered quietly, and then explained. "I've seen this only twice before, but it's always the same...if a group of Boomas find a target overnight, they gather a pack, and strike as an organized group, about an hour before dawn..."

"What" Diane whispered. "That's not possible..."

"That's what I thought...but these creatures are not as dumb as we'd like to believe..." He turned to where the beasts were detected. They're fanning out, using the trees or staying buried to block IR and disguise their heartbeats..."

"So how many are there" Diane asked as she let her VISK materialize in her hands. "Will they be a threat"

"I can barely detect five now to the south, by the edge of the forest..."

"Alright, here's the plan..."

"rrrRRRRAAWWWRRRN"

"Too late" he shouted suddenly, startling us in the process. "Fire, fire" He turned as the Calibur in his hands flowed into existence, its yellowish blade loosing a heated glow. We quickly turned outwards, and I watched an unbelievable number of Boomas flash onto the IR sensors in my display.

"rrRRRAAARGH"

"rRRrrrRRrraagghhh..."

"Where are they" Diane shrieked, as she began shooting blindly into the trees, over my shoulder. I dropped onto a crate in our Android shelter, drew out my rifle, and loaded a magazine. "I can't see them"

Oh, crap, I thought to myself, as the IR sensor flared up in red. "There's a huge wave coming from the south"

"North attack approaching" Kyrin shouted, as loud as her drone-like voice could manage. "About 23 north"

"At least 25 south" I replied. Which meant that the main attack...

I didn't have a chance to finish that thought. Something just then had hit the tree upon which we braced our shelter, and its roof, partly supported by metal, came crashing down on Diane and myself. I saw her scream...

As I slowly re-oriented myself after the cave-in, I could see my JUSTY buried in a pile of rubble in front of me. I turned to the side, where Diane was struggling to free herself from the mess of leaves and a plate that was smashing the butt-end of her VISK...

And then, a stampede of Boomas rushed in from behind us, stomping all over us, and I rolled to the side, where I bumped into a crate. I cursed...and then a big something hit me.

I blacked out.

-

ffzzzttt...

ffzzZZZZztt...tt.

..beep...beep-beep...

...init...

...init...in-initializing...

...ializing...

...running diagnostic checks...

SYSTEM.INI  
SENSORV6.INI  
BASICMOV.INI  
SELFCHK.INI  
BASICCMP.INI  
SELFRPR.INI  
SYSTEM2.INI  
EMOTIOV2.EXE  
SPEECH.EXE

Loading all basic data...

Loading hand movement/dexterity checks...

Loading user-friendly interface...using Safe mode...

"Welcome."

-

As I watched my internal display screen flash, and then as I became conscious that I was booting up, I bolted awake.

What the hell is happening...? I had to ask myself. I hadn't seen that message in almostfifteen years...since I was re-booted in that alley...

As I began to look around, I found myself almost quite literally disassembled, and finding I was almost unable to move, I tried moving my eyes, and saw a most familiar and friendly face.

"H-..h...hhe..ey..." my voice crackled out. Oh no...what exactly happened to me...

Brand was doing something to my chestplate...probably repairing my body...where...I was completely disoriented...

"...whe...fzz...whr..." I managed. My speech system...what happened?

He sharply turned to me. "Keep it down." He sounded so different...so...demanding...he never sounded like this before.

A moment of silence ensued. As I continued to look at my surroundings, I wondered...wondered about so many things.

Was this the same camp we fought at?

What exactly happened to me...was I crushed or something?

Where is everyone...I don't see anyone else...

"Look, I know you're confused..." he started, but as his face turned grim, I realized there was far more than just "something" wrong...

He waited a moment, and I just looked into his eyes, trying to understand...

"I'll talk to you, but only if you promise not to talk back." He looked dead serious. I did my best to acknowledge by "blinking" my eyelights several times.

"Good." He let a moment pass before he turned to the ruin of a camp. "Remember the Boomas" he asked suddenly, if rather softly. "They tore the place up...you were lucky to survive."

So I was still here...in the same place...good, I thought.

"You're probably wondering where everyone else is." I blinked again. "With the exception of yourself, me, and by some miracle your Mag...they're all gone...dead, or at least everyone except Kyrin. They broke her up into hundreds of pieces..." he said, holding his head down. "You survived...probably because they whopped you in the head, and figured you were done. The rest of us weren't so lucky."

I silently smiled for a moment...my Mag was alive...

But, as I looked again, I saw Brand's face...his cheeks, scarred, terribly...must be new ones...and he wasn't moving his left leg at all, although he was sitting down...but I found it unusual because he'd always shake his left leg when he sat...

"If I can get you fixed up, we'll need to find a new place to survive...the Boomas have been coming back, although in smaller numbers. I can just turn you off and cover you up, but they almost caught me twice..."

I tried to blink my eyes differently, to show my confusion at the last statement. Coming around again? How long have I been here?

"It's been almost two weeks now" he replied, as if reading my mind. "They've come back at least four times...probably more when I'm out doing stuff."

I tried to just let all this new information sink in. What exactly happened...? Everyone, dead? How could this be...we fended off the Hildebears with almost no trouble...and now this...

"I'm going to turn you off for a bit. See you soon..." he said softly as he shut me down again.

-


	6. V: Learning to Live

V: Learning to Live

-

...initializing...

...running diagnostics...

All systems are functional.

"Welcome."

-

I blinked my eyes as my readout monitor began to give me some feedback.

-

Status Report:

Head-System-Yellow-Damage: movement of head restricted, IR sensor dead, HD3 destroyed, HDBCKUP damaged 66 percent, speech unusable, hearing sensor L disabled.  
TorsoT-System-Red-Damage: hydraulic pressure 23 percent, various wire damage, majority of touch sensors destroyed.  
Arm L-System-Red-Damage: Arm L destroyed.  
Arm R-System-Red-Damage: hydraulic pressure 0, sensors in lower forearm are damaged.  
TorsoB-System-Red-Damage: hip joint fractured, unable to support weight, leg sensors connection dead.  
Leg L-System-Red-Damage: Leg L destroyed.  
Leg R-System-Red-Damage: Leg R destroyed.

-

I turned on my eye sensors, and saw that it was still pre-dawn, and that Brand was gently reattaching my head to my somewhat fixed torso. I tried to blink my eyes, but as I tried, I found I couldn't even do that, only let the dead color remain as I tried to tell him something without speaking. I finally got a few sparks going in my right arm, and he turned to me.

"You awake" he asked, a bit more concern in his voice than before, but still saying I shouldn't do too much.

I let my right arm spark again, and after fixing my head back on, he turned to me, hooking up a text pad so I could at least "type" to him.

"WHAT.HAPPENED.TO.THE.OTHERS."

He typed back.

"THEY.DIED.IN.THE.ATTACK."

"WHAT.IS.WRONG.WITH.ME.I.CANNOT.SPEAK.I.CANNOT.MOVE."

"YOU.WERE.DAMAGED.IN.THE.ATTACK."

He continued to type.

"YOUR.HEAD.WAS.SMASHED.AND.IT.DESTROYED.YOUR.VOICE.SYSTEM."

"I.TRIED.TO.REPAIR.IT.LAST.TIME.BUT.SOMETHING.SHORTED."

"AND.I.TOOK.IT.OUT.SO.NOTHING.MORE.WOULD.GO.WRONG."

My system was shorting?

"ONCE.I.GET.YOUR.EYES.WORKING.AND.YOUR.AUDIO.INPUT.WORKING."

"I.WILL.TALK.TO.YOU.MORE.UNTIL.LATER..."

I needed to be shut down again...

"LATER..."

-

"How do you feel now" Brand asked me, as I was propped upright against a tree, where he had been working on me for the past month or so. "Can you move most of your body"

As I tried running diagnostic tests, I moved whatever I could: eye cameras, head swivels, some right arm function, chest compartments, audio and visual aides...

"Are the legs still dead"

I nodded, as we both felt a pang of despair. Despite his best efforts, there was no way he could carry me, an old 450-pound RAcaseal PROto77...so we were pretty much condemned to this small patch of hallowed ground.

"Try your speech module. I tried fixing it last night..."

"...ffzzz...Hhh..h..h...e.y..y.y..e...y.."

He looked downward, and then held my shoulder. "I'm sorry...I thoughtI had it fixed..."

I used my right arm, my only working appendage, and held up the text pad for him, so he could see what I wanted to say.

"ITS.OK.I.CAN.LIVE.WITHOUT.SPEECH.NOT.SO.BAD."

"AS.LONG.AS.I.CAN.USE.THIS.TO.TALK.TO.YOU."

"Oh..." He smiled as he brought a little box close by. "That reminds me. I'm sure this little guy will be happy to see you..."

I watched, and although damaged, I saw my little Mag hover out awkwardly, and rest on my shoulder, as it always had. Even he didn't escape the wrath of the Boomas...his armor on the top had been dented in severely, and although Brand probably fixed it, it left a huge metal scar, and the Mag's hover system was scrambled a bit as well.

"I'm sorry I couldn't fix him up...I don't know Mags the way I know Androids..."

"ITS.OK.HE.SEEMS.HAPPY.THANKS.FOR.SAVING.HIM."

As he was about to turn away, I added:

"THANK.YOU.SO.MUCH.FOR.FIXING.ME.UP."

"I.WOULD.HAVE.BEEN.DESTROYED.BACK.THERE.IF.YOU.DIDNT.SAVE.ME."

"Hey, I can't leave behind the only friend I have left, can I" he asked, with an awkward smile of sorts. "Besides, you suffered relatively little damage, compared to..." he suddenly trailed off.

"THE.OTHERS.WHAT.HAPPENED."

I wanted to know so badly, and yet...

"I'll tell you...slowly though. I don't really want to remember it all..."

"I.UNDERSTAND.PLEASE.TELL.ME.AS.YOU.SEE.FIT."

"OR.AS.YOU.THINK.I.NEED.TO.KNOW."

"Most of them died rather peacefully...Ordron didn't get up, so he got buried under the plate we used as a lean-to...Sheri and Alfred...well, Alfred got trapped in the hole he made for himself...and Sheri...they killed her in her sleep."

"DID.KYRIN.AND.DIANE.DIE.PEACEFULLY.TOO."

"No."

I watched then as Brand began to let a few tears fall from his face. "They tore Kyrin up...she fought with every working component of her body until they completely smashed her up and threw her into the ocean. She shorted out over the course of a few hours..."

I almost didn't want to know what had happened to my other friend...

"Diane...they tore her up too."

And that was all he would say. He turned away then, and I wanted nothing more than to comfort him...to take away that pain...

I reached out with my right arm and tapped him on the shoulder.

"IM.SORRY.I.DIDNT.MEAN.FOR.YOU.TO.HAVE.TO.REMEMBER."

"I.WONT.ASK.AGAIN."

"No...it's alright." Brand wiped his face off as he turned back to me. "It's your right to know...what happened to your friends..."

And we sat there for hours, remembering our friends...their lives, our experiences together...

It was just about all we could do.

-

That night, oddly, amidst the gravity of the situation...I felt...well, a sort of joy.

I didn't know how to describe it.

As Brand returned with some berries, we both ate, although of course my diet was more like a few Dimate pills instead...

And then he dozed off, next to me.

I remembered seeing a scene like this once, on the digital screens on Pioneer 2...

It was supposed to be a...soap opera?

I think that was it...anyway...in that show, the guy takes care of the girl, and they fall in love at the end...

Was that what I was feeling?

I didn't know...but I felt relieved...and happy. Maybe it was because for the first time in my twenty long years of life, I knew now what it was like to be "loved..."

And as my energy dipped, I felt a strange sense of ease...and it felt good.

-


	7. VI: End Transmission

VI: End Transmission

-

There is something wrong right now...

I cannot quite explain it...

I have been writing the story of my last adventure for some time now...saving it on a few data disks that Brand left behind in the crate...

But he went to get some fresh water a few days ago, and never came back.

To this moment, I still cannot believe he is gone...he wouldn't have abandoned me...so...

I feel a deep well of despair rise in my heart. Perhaps he would have lived if he left me for dead...

And I wish he had...after all, I was going to die anyway...

I try to collect my confusion, straightening my thinking as best I can.

As I lie here now, finishing my tale, I see with my damaged sensors many, many Boomas, unsure of whether to organize an attack against a wounded and almost-dead Android...

Here is where I end my story.

For the past few days, I wrote just about as much as would fit on those two small data disks...and one day, I hope someone finds them...

But for now, they are all that remain. I think my Mag knows it too...the end is near for me, as well.

I point him over to the last storage crate, where Brand left a few supplies some time ago, and he manages to drag out a box of Dimate pills. Bringing them over to me, he places them on my damaged breastplate, and I manage to use my one good arm to pop in the perforated edge and give him a few.

"Eat them slowly...it's the last food you'll have for a while..."

He eats two, and drops the last one back in the box, dragging the whole box and tucking it under my useless left hand. I smile, or as close to that as I can, and then, as he snuggles under the same hand, I rest my head against the tree again.

I can feel it...I have lived for far too long. Most Androids enjoy a "long" five years if they are fortunate, or even maybe ten, if they are loved and taken care of.

My twenty-year-old tempered steel frame has finally had enough. I can no longer move, speak, or work; my hearing is almost dead, and I can but see the events of the world slowly unfold around me...

I glance over at my Mag...I hope he'll be alright in the days to come...after all, his system is equipped witha small solar charger...I wish I had one of those...

My battery is running low...the small gauge in my display is telling me I'm almost gone...

I guess this is it...I feel my arm shut down as my energy approaches zero.

Might as well say it now...

I love you, Brand...thanks for everything, my hero...

-

/...ack, flic...ckering.../

/...never did.../

/...tell...my name...it.../

-


	8. Epilogue

Epilogue

-

"Hey, guys..." a young RAmar says as he points to an island in the distance. "Is that where we're landing"

"Huh" A blue-haired HUnewearl gets up and makes her way over to his side, ignoring the fact that the landing craft is still in-flight. "You mean the little one there"

"Yeah." The RAmar looks at the map in his hand. "I think that's it..."

"That's the island alright, so just calm down, kid" a large, muscled technician looks over from his seat behind the RAmar. "We'll be down there in a bit anyway."

"Wasn't there an expedition that went down there some years ago" the HUnewearl asks.

"Not that I know of...but then again, they don't tell us techies anything..." The technician looks out the window as the craft plummets, rapidly losing altitude as it prepares to make a landing.

"Uh..." the HUnewearl remarks shakily. "Aren't we coming in a bit fas" She grips the RAmar's headrest suddenly, as she is cut off by the impact of landing.

THHUNNN...

...krrr...rrr.r...rgg...r.h.r...g...

"Kinda...bum...bumpy...land...di...ding..." the RAmar shouts as he is tossed around in his seat. The HUnewearl, who was still standing beside him, is now hanging onto his headrest for dear life, and as the landing craft finally slows, she sinks to the ground, exhausted.

"YOU COULD HAVE TOLD US WE WERE APPROACHING LANDING, YOU KNOW" she shouts as the two pilots open the cockpit access door.

"Yeesh, calm down, catlady." The pilot, a HUcast with a emotio-system full of sarcasm and grit, says as he pushes his way past her. Although still infuriated, she backs down from the large Android twice her height and thrice her size, and they slowly spill out of the craft, shaken but alive.

"One hell of a landing, Telron..." his co-pilot, a light red HUcaseal, remarks quietly.

"Ah, cool it. Besides, everything's intact, right"

"Barely...jeez, you could have broken the transporter, and then what" she asks him, under her breath so the others won't add their two-sense in.

"Ah, so what? Just fly up and get another..."

"If it makes it back up there..."

The HUcast backs down in silence as they begin to remove the large transporter unit from the cargo bay of the landing craft. Setting it down near the treeline, they then unload the twelve crates that contain its various generator and teleporter parts, as well as a few extra snacks that the technician crew packed. The large technician, seeing them unload one of their crates, pops it open and grabs out some ice pops and cola. "Anyone care for a drink"

-

As the tech crew works for about an hour or so, they set up the warping device, and as they finally test it and get it working, they drag it over to the edge of the forest, under some shade, before they finally begin to relax.

"So...after all that...anyone want to go for a swim" the burly technician asks.

"Ah, sure, why not...looks like a nice day out..." she ponders, before adding"I'll be just a sec. Gonna change outta this stuff..." She wanders off, by some trees and shrubbery, before finally deciding that she is concealed enough to change her outfit.

As she is putting her lighter, nylon top on, however, she notices a large, blackish bug...

"Yeep" she says, startled, as she jumps back. She observes it for a bit. "Doesn't look like a bug, though..." she notes, softly...

"You alright" a call comes from up the beach.

"I'm fine" she shouts back, as she kneels to look more closely at it.

"A...Mag" she wonders to herself, seeing now that the bug is most certainly not a bug, instead having a badly-worn metallic shell and a set of yellow lights for eyes...except that it looks as if the lights have been dead for some time.

It waddles its way out of its little shelter, dragging with it a badly-worn box of Dimate pills.

"Hey...where'd you come from, little guy" And just as suddenly, she stops.

Right in front of her, hidden in the fallen leaves, the body of a worn, dull pink Android of sorts, is leaned up against the tree. Its body badly rusted, and its frame in shambles, it looks like it had gone through a battle...or several...

The little black Mag then slowly scoots atop its frame, tugging at two data disks tucked under the android's right hand.

"Was she...your master" she asks as she pulls the disks free of the dead android's hand.

It only taps the dead frame, several times...

"I'm sorry..." she remarks sadly as she holds the disks. "I'm afraid I can't fix her..."

It only nods, and crawls back beneath the hand that had sheltered it for some time now, returning to sleep.

-

Owari.

-


End file.
